Saṅghāṇi

Theravāda Vinaya

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

Bhikkhunivibhaṅga

The Nuns’ Analysis

Pācittiyakaṇḍa

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

Chattupāhanavagga

The subchapter on sunshades and sandals

86. Saṅghāṇisikkhāpada

Wearing a hip ornament

Origin story

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,

Tena kho pana samayena aññatarā bhikkhunī aññatarissā itthiyā kulūpikā hoti.

there was a nun was associating with the family of a certain woman.

Atha kho sā itthī taṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavoca—

That woman said to that nun,

“handāyye, imaṁ saṅghāṇiṁ amukāya nāma itthiyā dehī”ti.

“Venerable, please give this hip ornament to such-and-such a woman.”

Atha kho sā bhikkhunī—

The nun thought,

“sacāhaṁ pattena ādāya gacchāmi vissaro me bhavissatī”ti paṭimuñcitvā agamāsi.

“If I carry it in my almsbowl, I’ll get into trouble,” and so she put it on and then left.

Tassā rathikāya suttake chinne vippakiriyiṁsu.

While she was walking along a street the threads snapped and were scattered all over.

Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—

People complained and criticized her,

“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo saṅghāṇiṁ dhāressanti, seyyathāpi gihiniyo kāmabhoginiyo”ti.

“How can nuns wear hip ornaments? They’re just like householders who indulge in worldly pleasures!”

Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ.

The nuns heard the complaints of those people.

Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—

The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her,

“kathañhi nāma bhikkhunī saṅghāṇiṁ dhāressatī”ti …pe…

“How could a nun wear a hip ornament?” …

“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī saṅghāṇiṁ dhāretī”ti?

“Is it true, monks, that a nun did this?”

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

“It’s true, sir.”

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…

The Buddha rebuked her …

kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī saṅghāṇiṁ dhāressati.

“How could a nun do this?

Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

Final ruling

“Yā pana bhikkhunī saṅghāṇiṁ dhāreyya, pācittiyan”ti.

‘If a nun wears a hip ornament, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

Yā panāti

A:

yā yādisā …pe…

whoever …

bhikkhunīti

Nun:

…pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti.

… The nun who has been given the full ordination in unanimity by both Sanghas through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of nun is meant in this case.

Saṅghāṇi nāma

A hip ornament:

yā kāci kaṭūpagā.

whatever goes on the hip.

Dhāreyyāti

Wears:

sakimpi dhāreti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

if she wears it even once, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Non-offenses

Anāpatti—

There is no offense:

ābādhappaccayā,

if she wears it because she is sick;

kaṭisuttakaṁ dhāreti,

if she wears a girdle;

ummattikāya,

if she is insane;

ādikammikāyāti.

if she is the first offender.

Tatiyasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

The third training rule is finished.